Xbox One sales "more than doubled" since launch of Kinect-less bundle, says EB

Australian retailer EB Games says the Xbox One has seen a sales spike since June, but it's not all due to dropping Kinect.

On June 9 Microsoft launched a Kinect-less console bundle, meaning customers could opt to save $100 on an Xbox One console without the Kinect sensor.

Since then, Xbox One console sales have "more than doubled," according to leading retailer EB Games.

"Sales of Xbox One have more than doubled since the announcement of the Kinect-less bundle," says EB's Debra McGrath.

"At EB Games we attribute this positive uplift to a mix of having the best console bundle deals in the market as well as the upbeat consumer response to the Kinect-less bundle."

However, despite sales more than doubling since the launch of the Kinect-less bundle, the original Kinect bundle remains the best-selling Xbox One SKU.

"The original XBOX One with Kinect included is still the number one choice for consumers," McGrath told us.

Huh? We had to ask for clarification. By "still the number one choice for consumers" do you mean the Xbox One with Kinect is selling more than the Kinect-less bundle week to week?

"Correct."

That's right, since the launch of the Kinect-less bundle, the Kinect bundle has also seen an upturn in sales. It's as if the positive vibe around the dropping of Kinect has had a flow on effect.

"We expect this trend to grow as the Kinect technology continues to evolve and new features are added to the service," McGrath added.

Of course, this is just one retailer - albeit EB Games is the number one games retailer in the country by a considerable margin - and this is just over five weeks worth of sales growth. But it's an encouraging sign for Microsoft.

Update: It's been pointed out that EB is offering three games (Dead Rising 3, Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag, and a digital token for Forza 5) "for free" with the original Kinect SKU, which already comes with a digital copy of Titanfall. This offer has been running since the launch of the Kinect-less bundle, presumably in an effort to clear stock from the channel, and may well explain the unexpected growth in sales for this SKU.

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